To me it is a very sweet thought to think that I have a Saviour who
has power over death. My blessed Master holds the keys of death and
hell. I pity the poor unbeliever and the poor infidel. They have no
hope in resurrection. But every child of God can open that chapter and
read the promise, and his heart ought to leap within him for joy as he
reads it. You know the tradesman generally puts the best specimen of
his wares in the window to show us the quality of his stock. And so,
when Christ was down here, He gave us a specimen of what He could do.
He just raised three from the dead, that we might know what power He
had. There was (1) Jairus's daughter, (2) the widow's son, and (3)
Lazarus of Bethany. He raised all three of them, so that every doubt
might be swept away from our hearts. How dark and gloomy this world
would be if we had no hope in the resurrection; but now, when we lay
our little children down in the grave, although it is in sorrow, it is
not without hope. We have seen them pass away, we have seen them in
the terrible struggle with death; but there has been one star to
illumine the darkness and gloom--the thought, that though the happy
circle has been broken on earth, it shall be completed again in yon
world of heavenly light. You that have lost a loved one rejoice as you
read that "I will." Those that have died in Christ shall come forth
again by and by. The darkness shall flee away, and the morning light
of the resurrection shall dawn upon us. It is only a little while, and
He that has said it shall come, His voice shall be heard in the
grave--"I will raise him up at the last day." Precious promise!
precious _I will!_
8. Now, the next _I will_ is in John xvii. 24: "Father, I will that
they also, whom thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am."